Happy Birthday, Maya Angelou, Author, Actor and Activist

April 04, 2010

by
findingDulcinea Staff

Poet, author, playwright, educator, civil rights activist, singer, actress: these are the many faces of Maya Angelou. A living testament to the strength of the human spirit, Angelou courageously shares her tales of personal heartache, loss and triumph. A recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, Angelou has had a tremendous influence on contemporary literature and on the fight for human rights.

Born Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928, Angelou lived with her parents in St. Louis, Mo., until she was 3 years old, at which point her parents divorced. She and her brother then lived with her grandmother in Arkansas.

During a visit with her mother, the 7-year-old Angelou was sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend. In retaliation, Angelou’s uncle killed the boyfriend, and the guilt Angelou experienced caused the young girl to cease talking altogether. At the age of 13, Angelou started to speak again and moved to San Francisco with her mother and brother.

Although she received a scholarship to study dance and drama in high school, Angelou dropped out and become the first female African-American cable car conductor (one of a number of “firsts” Angelou would achieve during her lifetime). During her teen years, she ended up living on the street for a time. She later returned to high school and graduated before giving birth to her son, Guy, at the age of 16. After her son was born Angelou took a number of jobs to support her small family which included waiting tables, singing, dancing and cooking.

At the age of 24, Angelou married Tosh Angelos, a Greek sailor, and began singing in nightclubs under the name Maya Angelou. After the couple divorced, Angelou kept her new last name and started touring in the European production of “Porgy and Bess.” She released her first album as a recording artist in 1957.

In the late 1950s Angelou began to develop the craft she is most known for today: her writing. Living in New York, Angelou joined the Harlem Writers Guild. Along with developing her writing Angelou continued to perform in plays.

The Woman and Her Work

Angelou went on to write many more inspirational works. Her books and poems have been highly praised and have recieved many national honors including the National Book Award for “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die.”

Angelou's accomplishments reach far beyond her writing, she is also a renowned speaker, playwright, screenwriter, director and performer. She won Grammys for her spoken word albums, and has been nominated for a Tony award (for her performance in Look Away) and an Emmy (for her performance in Roots). She was asked to recite a poem at the inaguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993.

Although Angelou did not attend college, her life experiences and accomplishments have earned her a number of honorary degrees and honorary doctorate degrees from prestigious colleges and universities around the country. She has also spent a great deal of time working as a professor. Her current position is as a Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.

Maya Angelou has many accomplishments behind her, yet she continues to speak, write, work as a political activist, and inspire others with her work.